MTV News caught up with the Barbados-born artist Shontelle just after her return from Japan's Spring Groove. The talent-filled show was a landmark in her very quick rise to stardom, as she performed with John Legend, T-Pain, Akon and TLC. This wasn't her first star-studded collaboration, however, as she has previously performed with both Akon and her fellow Barbados-born pop-star friend, Rihanna.

Her relationship with Rihanna began in Barbados, where they went to different schools but were involved in friendly competition in the cadets. She admits that her friend was especially influential on her in many ways since Rihanna made it in the music industry first. Her fellow former cadet, who she refers to as "Rih," gave her advice on the ins and outs of the music industry. "I definitely got a lot of tips from her," Shontelle said. "I tend to pay attention to successful artists and she's certainly one of the most successful artists in the last few years."

Of course, the inevitable question arose regarding the Rihanna/ Chris Brown situation. Shontelle had nothing but support and sympathy for her friend. "Yes, I have spoken to Rihanna since the incident. It's just a matter of me and everyone on the team being there for her. It's a horrible thing that happened and it shouldn't happen to anyone — male or female, old or young, famous or not. We pretty much just gave her time to recover, and she is definitely good now and moving on — and we're definitely happy about that!" she exclaimed. "At first I was extremely annoyed and upset," she added. "It's hard to see that happen to anyone, but when it's someone you actually know it really breaks your heart — I was literally in tears. It was just horrible. And lucky for her, she actually went home recently [to Barbados] and I was like, 'Rih! I'm so jealous of you!' I miss home. I miss the beach and my friends and family, and the food — fresh grilled fish straight off the boat!

"One of the biggest challenges is finding yourself and finding your direction. It's very difficult to break, especially in these times — and there's only one other artist from Barbados, so you have to make sure that when people listen they're not going to be able to say that you're the same thing. There's only room for one — if you're the same thing, it's not going to work," Shontelle said about being from the same small country as Rihanna. Although the pair have performed together twice, Shontelle made sure to distinguish herself. Refreshingly, she has a voice, sound and style all her own.

Most recently, Shontelle has been featured with labelmate Akon on the soundtrack for "Confessions of a Shopaholic," which she considers to be a highlight of her career. Not surprisingly, another highlight of her career occurred when her song "Battle Cry" was featured on a tribute album for President Obama. "There were so many greats on that album, from Stevie Wonder to Jill Scott to John Mayer and Kanye West," she said. Although she couldn’t vote in the election because she's a Barbados citizen, she noted that she was extremely proud and excited to be a part of this album "because I really wanted [Obama] to win."

Now, Shontelle couldn't be happier and has loads to be thankful for. Only three years ago, she was a normal girl living in Barbados and studying law at university, and now she is living in New York and working with prominent artists around the world. She has certainly found her own way in the music industry and hopes to have future collaborations with fellow artists such as Ne-Yo and Alicia Keys.

Yesterday, I — along with MTV News correspondent Tim Kash and interns Kathleen and Arielle — paid British pop-and-R&B sensation and newly signed Cash Money Records recording artist Jay Sean a visit at SIR Studios in New York. For Tim and me, the trip brought things full circle.

As the news correspondent for MTV UK, Tim was the first to ever interview Jay on TV more than six years ago — a budding young hustler who shrugged off a potentially successful career in medicine to be a singer. As the MTV News producer for MTV Desi (MTV's now-defunct South Asian-American channel), Sean would become one of the marquee multiplatinum-selling artists (for his first album Me Against Myself) that I tracked. My, how things have progressed for everyone involved!

As an independent artist putting out his own material, Sean has had unprecedented success — his release of My Own Way saw him rise to the top of the U.K. R&B charts last year. More often than not, he plays for crowds of upward of 50,000 people in Europe and Asia, achievements keenly observed by Baby and Slim Williams, CEOs of Cash Money Records.

What did we learn? Well, for starters, Tim Kash can shoot with a camera — he held his own with the Panasonic DVX-100B.

Of course, the major news was that the hottest MC on the planet and Grammy Award-winner, Lil Wayne, will be featured on Sean's first single and rocker Kevin Rudolph, Sean's labelmate, will lend some of his riffs to the album as well. Sean will also be recording with Birdman for the CEO's next project. So, if you're fan of Jay Sean, Lil Wayne, Kevin Rudolf, Birdman and Cash Money — be on the lookout. Sean's album drops this summer.

There's been a buzz around the next wave of New York rappers since the beginning of the new millennium, but as the year 2010 closely approaches, many of those budding stars have yet to release a full-length studio album — until now. Brooklyn's Icadon — better known in his earlier days as Icarus, a name earned as protégé to lyrical wizard Redman — drops his first official studio album, Robot-ic, along with partner and platinum producer Rockwilder, Friday (March 20) on Amalgam Digital.

Following in the footsteps of fellow Amalgam artists such as Saigon, Joe Budden, Max B and Termanology, Ic decided to take a different approach to releasing the record that has been years in the making. Fresh off the heels of the successful single, "Robot-Ic," the album is chock-full of hip-hop's finest lyrics added to a mixture of hardcore beats, thanks to the production of Rockwilder.

Robot-ic marks the first release on Icadon's Johnny Pump Entertainment, with many more to follow. "It feels good to release my first project. Me, Rock and my partner are about to tear New York City up," Ic said. "I wanted to release my album digitally, because this is the beginning of the digital age!" he explained. "My friends call me Mr. Digital, George Jetson, Ic McFly ... so you know I had to be the one to lead this era. My first solo album, Mr. Digital, is dropping June 16th, and that's when the broadcasting company announces that the country goes digital. It just fits. I feel real good."

I've spent the last two years waiting for my favorite band of this decade, Sweden's the Knife, to come out with a new album. The most recent release I came across was their live "Silent Shout Audiovisual Experience" — and for anyone who has been to one of their live shows, it's breathtaking and exciting to have those visuals on DVD. But I want more! Fresh material, new songs ... A year or so ago, I heard that singer Karin Dreijer was pregnant, and the brother-sister duo was on hiatus. Congrats to her, but disaster for me! Recently, we found out that Olof Dreijer was off in the Amazon recording birds, animals, and nature for a new Darwinian Opera. What? Perhaps a Swede's take on a Steve Reich-ian/Philip Glass-ian geological/environmental recording concept will be refreshing. Still, though, us Knife fans yearn for the strikingly haunting and beautiful voice of Karin (and don't you dare say she sounds like Björk!).

Well, the big day has arrived! Karin Dreijer has recorded a solo album under the name Fever Ray. Perhaps some of Olof's obscure and harder melodies are missing from these new tracks, but this is an opportunity to listen to Karin by herself. And although it is far more accessible and comfortable than that of the likes of Silent Shout, Deep Cuts and the band's self-titled debut, it still gives the same eerie vibe that Knife fans have grown to obsess over.

Part of what makes the Knife such a cultishly obsessed-over band is the work of video/live-visuals director Andreas Nilsson. As expected, he directed "If I Had a Heart," the first single and video released from Fever Ray. It's already my favorite video of the past year, though like most of his videos, I wouldn't watch it alone in the dark — it's pretty frightening. And no, you don't get to see Karin in the flesh (with the exception of her being, unsurprisingly, behind a mask), and although I got to meet her in '07, you'll probably never see her face: In interviews, she and Olof generally wear masks.

Over the past few years, dozens of great artists have come out of Sweden. Here, some garnered soft-jock and momentary indie attention (Peter Bjorn and John), others the attention of DJs at electropop clubs (the Sounds), and of course we can't leave out José Gonzales, who covered The Knife's "Heartbeats" and found fame through its use on a Sony commercial (ugh). Jens Lekman deserves some credit — he perhaps could be characterized as the Andrew Bird of Sweden. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention MTV News faves Robyn and Lykke Li. However, none of these bands capture the electronic and addictive spirit of the Knife. For those of us who are not quite ready to let the House music of central Europe penetrate our walls (and music industry), we look north to Sweden and the electro-pop/electronic/indie-pop sound of Karin and Olof.

Fever Ray isn't to be released in the U.S. until March 24, but it's not hard to find. Happy listening!

It's that time of year again — that time of year when music lovers the world over congregate in the hipster throes of the East Village, the Lower East Side and Williamsburg to celebrate all things indie rock and open bar. It's the time of year when, within a week, bands can break out or break up — and all the while, get handfuls of free stuff. Ladies and gents, it's the CMJ Music Marathon.

I'd conservatively estimate that 90 zillion unsigned bands from all genres have played this week. One of the bands we here at MTV News have really gotten a kick out of is Boston — OK, Cambridge — act Passion Pit. Despite having only been around for a year (one of their members joined about two months ago), they're poised to be 2008's CMJ success story.

We decided to follow them around for the day to get a feel not only for what CMJ has to offer (lots of plaid, Sparks), but also to see what it's like to be a band showcasing itself for the first time at what's become one of the music industry's most esteemed annual events. Between interviews, meeting fans both old and new, and playing their very enjoyable and intense live sets, the guys seemed completely taken aback by all that's transpired in the past few days — in the most endearing way in the world. And this is only the beginning for the quintet; after this week, they'll embark on a (albeit brief) national tour with Yelle and play with the Faint and Kool Keith in Anaheim come November 3.

I'm not even going to venture a frame of reference as to whom or what they sound like, but if you like handclaps, synthesizers, fun and/or joy, you'll probably take a shine to them. That said, it would behoove you to see what they have to offer right here, so you can say you heard them way back when.

Who is the best rock band in America?

In the voice-over booth, John Norris had his own ideas ...

In the chaotic world of the music business, taking a four-year leave of absence is right up there at the top of the list of things you shouldn't do. But after our visit to the set of the video for "Right Here (Departed)," Brandy's first single from her upcoming album Human, it's clear that the R&B songstress is determined to make her comeback in the biggest way possible.

She has enlisted some hip-hop heavyweights, including director Little X (Usher's "Yeah"), for the video and is reuniting with producer Rodney Jerkins for the first time in six years. Brandy insists she and Rodney have moved far beyond any past conflicts, saying, "The chemistry brought Rodney and I back together. It's undeniable, it's magical. ... We are back, and I'm never leaving Rodney again."

And if that weren't enough, Human's official launch will take place on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on November 10, the day before it drops. For Brandy, that day can't come soon enough.

"It feels so great to be back on the scene," she said. " ... I went through a struggle, and I really needed to get myself together and connect with my purpose, which is music. Music is all I know how to do, so to be on this set today, I feel really blessed for the second chance and for the opportunity ... and for everybody here just showing me so much love and support. ... It just feels good to be back, and I never want to leave again for that long!"

On the set, Ms. Norwood's genuine excitement to be back must have been contagious, as both Jerkins and her brother Ray J showed up to make cameos in the video. "I canceled all my plans to be here in this video, because I know how important it is to her," Ray J said.

Brandy said that her dedicated fans are the main priority: "I just really hope the world embraces me back, because I'm embracing them with my music. I made it for them."

Well, between an epic video, an Oprah-fueled launch and whatever it was that Ray J was doing, Brandy is making sure that nobody will miss her return to the music scene.

Will you be as excited as Brandy when her album drops? Has it been too long? Sound off below.

And the difference, it seems, is bassist Robert Trujillo.

Not only does Trujillo sometimes play referee between frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, he also pitches in with his own ideas, coming through in the clutch when the band gets stuck during the songwriting and recording process. Hetfield praised Rob's skills when we asked him what it was like working with the band's newest member on Death Magnetic, which hits stores September 12.

"If someone had said 10, 15 years ago that this dude was going to be in my band, I would have said no way," Hetfield said. "In the studio — and no offense towards Jason — but Rob has already contributed more to this record than [Jason Newsted] did in 14 years. A lot of it did have to do with our fear of losing some kind of control, no doubt about that. But Rob has slipped in somehow easier."

Perhaps the real difference for Metallica isn't Trujillo's presence but the former bassist's absence. Check out the full story here.

Could Whitney Houston be the Rocky of the music world? It's been a long time since the singer was in her prime, and "Like I Never Left," her first new song in nearly five years, has leaked. She worked with Akon on it and proclaims she's coming back — but will her fans be there? What do you think?

So the talk of the blog world this week is Black Kids — the band from Jacksonville, Florida, that is.

They've been hyped up for what seems like an eternity in the blog-world (which means since last October), when their debut EP captured the imagination of many Cure fans. We caught up with them at the CMJ Music Marathon last October to get the skinny on their sound — and, of course, the hype.

But a lot has changed since then — mainly stemming from the release of their major-label debut this week. Rather predictably, the response has not been as kind this go-round. While receiving favorable reviews from many outlets like Filter, Spin and Rolling Stone, the big news came from indie-reckoner Pitchfork, which arguably set off the buzz on the band's EP with an overwhelmingly positive review.

However, Pitchfork has dramatically changed its tune for the full-length, which contains all the tracks from the EP — in addition to the abysmal 3.3 rating, just see for yourself what they had to say.

This review — an apology for bringing the band to the masses in the first place — has led blogs and commenters to take Pitchfork to task for not having the nerve to back their withering score up with a proper review, especially after blowing them up in the first place.

We sat down with the band on Thursday (July 24) to see what they had to say about the situation ...

As always, it's best to take the hype for what it's worth and check the music out for yourself.